Chief Executive Officer

John A Burton

30 years experience in international conservation, including working with Friends of the Earth and 12 years as Chief Executive of Fauna & Flora International. Set up the first TRAFFIC offices for IUCN. Author & broadcaster.

[Biography]

Head of Communications

Vivien Burton

Office Manager for Fauna & Flora International for seven years. Worked as Conservation Assistant for Sir Peter Scott in his capacity as Chairman of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. Has acted as Rapporteur for SSC Meetings and several CITES Conference of the Parties Meetings including New Delhi, Gaborone and Buenos Aires. Has worked with WLT since its inception and helped its development from the early days of Programme for Belize.

Conservation Programmes Manager

Kirsty Burgess

An Ecology & Wildlife Management graduate who joined the WLT in 2000 on a six-month internship in Project Development. Since then she has been co-ordinating the Trust's conservation programmes. Provides support and liaison for overseas partner organisations, carries out site visits, and develops monitoring programmes for international projects. Interested in tropical conservation ever since exploring the reefs, caves and mangroves of Malaysia in her childhood. Can often be seen out walking her dog, Nutmeg.

Projects Information Officer

Ruth Canning

An Environmental Biology graduate with a Masters in Wildlife Biology and Conservation who joined the WLT in March 2007. Assists in the day-to-day management of WLT projects with direct responsibility for managing the Trust's U.K. based project at Kites Hill.  Also co-ordinates research and development of new projects and manages the Books for Conservation Programme.

Chief Technical Adviser, Restoration Ecology Team

Roger Wilson

Has a long association with the WLT, including as a Technical Advisor to Programme for Belize. Has been involved in conservation fieldwork for over 30 years and with forestry and restoration ecology projects for over 10 years, with extensive experience in West and Central Africa, Belize and other parts of Central America. Provides technical support for the development and management of WLT projects involving conservation and maintenance of environmental services.

Carbon Projects Officer, Restoration Ecology Team

Rebecca Absalom

A geology graduate who spent the third year of her degree on an international placement in New South Wales, Australia, where she also completed her independent mapping project. Worked for both conservation organisations and environmental consultancies before joining the WLT in 2007, where she manages the Trust's Carbon Balanced Programme and associated projects.

Projects Support, Restoration Ecology Team

Andrew Smiley

Spent several months assisting WLT as a volunteer, helping set up the carbon monitoring systems, both in the UK and in Ecuador. Now undertakes short-term contracts for WLT as necessary, particularly in providing field project support.

Operating Officer

Jenny Chattington

Worked for more than 20 years at the British Museum, initially as an editor, then managing the merchandise operation.  Ran a garden centre before joining the Trust in May 2008.  Responsible for the smooth running of day to day activities at WLT, with particular care of Human Resources, Health & Safety, and management of the premises.  In her spare time gardening and the countryside are her overriding obsessions.

Donations Manager

Anne Clifford

An Archaeology and Anthropology graduate who joined the Trust in September 2003. Responsible for the management of the Trust's supporter database. When not in the WLT office, she can generally be found either working on the family's organic farm or acting with a local drama group.

Communications Officer

Julie Fairbrother

Joined WLT August 2007. Previously spent 10 years working as an Holistic Practitioner and built a straw bale consulting room in 2003 in Halesworth. Interests include landscape and urban photography, walking, Architectural and ecological building design.

Communications Assistant

Judith Woolnough

Joined the WLT team to help with the Christmas rush in 2004 and is now a communications assistant. When not in the office she helps look after her three grandchildren, keeps her garden as wild as possible and is involved in the management of the local Millennium Green.

Office Assistant

Lynne Morton

Finance Officer

Rosie Carter

A FCCA member who started working with WLT in Autumn 2006 after having previously spent many years as a financial director in the construction and leisure industries.

Accounts Manager

Debbie Hall

Joined the Trust at the beginning of 2002, and looks after the day to day finances. Likes spending time out in her unruly garden, watching wildlife and growing organic vegetables and unusual hardy perennials.

Accounts Assistant

Melissa Eames-Bayton

Joined the Accounts Department at WLT in November 2007.  In her spare time, likes walking with her dog and spends time watching her children in their sporting activities.  Also helps her parents maintain 10 acres of environmentally sensitive land.

Education, Training & Outreach Officer

Kelly Jacobs

A Wildlife Conservation graduate with a Masters in Zoo Conservation Biology. Has volunteered in the Philippines on a Red-vented Cockatoo reintroduction project, and in Bonaire where she assisted with behavioural research on the Yellow-shouldered Amazon. Co-ordinates the WLT Schools Programme, outreach activities, internship and diploma programmes and the Trust’s Wild Spaces Programme.

Diploma/Intern Co-ordinator

Harriet Jones

Looks after the Trust's interns and Diploma students and also MSc students doing their projects with the WLT. Currently a Teaching Fellow at the University of East Anglia with several years experience coordinating their Masters programme in Applied Ecology and Conservation.

Web & IT Manager

Toby Gibson

An Aquatic Biology graduate with over 8 years experience in website management and development. Joined WLT in October 2007 where he manages the Trust's websites jointly with Helena and offers IT support to staff. A keen scuba diver and photographer, happy anywhere underwater from coral reefs to Welsh quarries.

Web Information Manager

Helena Åkerlund

Joined the team in 2003 after having graduated in Ecology and learned about website development. Manages the Trust's websites jointly with Toby, oversees the Trust's internet marketing activities and edits WLT's monthly eBulletins. Wanders about in the countryside with her camera or gets her wellies muddy as a conservation volunteer when not at work.

Projects Development Officer

Jack Astbury

An Ecology and Conservation graduate with a strong interest in conservation and development in South America. First joined the WLT as an intern with a focus web development in 2006. Has since worked for WLT both in the UK and Ecuador, most recently on the “Webcam in the Forest” project.

Special Projects Consultant

Mark Gruin

Nearly thirty years experience working with natural history and conservation organisations, with a special focus on institutional management, integrated conservation development, natural history interpretation and ecotourism development. Has worked extensively with WLT over the years, including a long collaboration on Programme for Belize. Currently helps with specific WLT projects including liaising between WLT and WLT-US.

Office Cleaner

Sarah Parsons

Cleans out the WLT offices with enthusiasm and gusto, and is even understanding of Nutmeg, the Office Dog, who sheds white hairs all over the carpets. Self-confessed "recycling fanatic", joining in with the Trust's environmental policies.

Projects Development Assistant (Web/IT)

Adam Butler

Joined the WLT in April 2008 as an intern with a focus on web development and IT. Is on a sandwich year from Plymouth University where he is studying Animal Science. Will return to complete his degree in September and hopes to use this and his experience at the World Land Trust to pursue a career in wildlife conservation.

Projects Development Assistant

Joanne Finch

A History graduate who joined WLT's internship programme in January 2008. Has a keen interest in the environment and conservation and has previously had the opportunity to visit a number of the projects supported by the Trust, including those in Ecuador, Brazil and Paraguay.

Lunch Inspector & Stress Relief Provider

Nutmeg

A regular staff member at the World Land Trust since 2005, residing mainly under the Programme Manager's desk. Keeps a close eye on the goings-on in the WLT car park, makes daily inspections of staff lunch bags and provides light stress relief at the end of a long working day.